Measuring-funnel



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS F. SCOLLEY, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

`MEASURINC-FUNNEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,072, dated J' une 14, 1892.

Application filed August 3, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. SooLLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Measuring-Funnels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement on that class of devices in which a funnel is adapted to serve as a measuring-vessel and a valve provided in connection with a thumblever for opening and closing the discharge; and the object of the invention is to cheapen the construction and render the parts more effective in operation, so as to facilitate their IISG.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description and claim, when taken in connection with the annexed draw ings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of my improved device, and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same with the discharge-nozzle broken away.

Before describing the details of construction I desire to say that I am well aware that a funnel has been provided with graduations on its inner wall, and a rod carrying a valve at its lower end has been arranged to close the nozzle or discharge-opening, and a lever composed of a flat strip has been pivoted in the upper edge of the funnel, so as to have a bearing thereon and pivotally connected with the valve-rod. A device of this character is objectionable, inasmuch that when the thumbn lever is made of such material as to afford a spring it will after little use become Weak and impaired, and where a rigid lever is employed without a spring it will be necessary to raise the lever when using the article as a funnel only and to depress it when used as a Ineastiring-vessel. When a lever is arranged so as to bear against the upper marginal edge of the funnel and bears upon said edge inside of its pivotal point, it will be found necessary to provide some means for holding the free end beyond a certain movement.

In carrying out my invention I take a funnel A, which may be of any ordinary or ap- Serial No. 401.600. (No model.)

proved construction,havin ga discharge-nozzle a at its lower end, and provide the upper edge of the body with a vertical flange b, and then secure to said flange edge by solder or otherwise a verticallydisposed band B, having its upper edge wired or flanged, as shown at c. The inner wall of the body of the funnel, as well as the inner Wall of the band B, is graduated, as shown, beginning with one-half pint.

and ending with three quarts, although it is obvious that the graduations may be' made to indicate a greater or less quantity, according to the capacity of the article.

C indicates a handle. This handle is se cured at its upper end to the bandB and at its lower end to the body of the funnel, as shown at d. Secured to the inner side of the band B, adjacent its top and at a point diametrically opposite the handle C, are two lugs e e, which are fixed to said band and provided near their inner ends with a hole f.

D indicates a manipulating or thumb lever. This lever is preferably formed from a piece of wrought-iron or metal having but little or no spring. Said lever being formed from a iiat bar has its edge vertically disposed for the greater portion of its length, as shown at g, and is given a quarter-twist, as shown ath, so as to present a flat horizontal portion for the thumb, as shown at z', and said at portion assumes a position just above the handle O.

E indicates a vertical rod. This rod carries at its lower end a valve F, which is designed to close the base-opening of the funnel at its point of connection with the nozzle, and said rod is forked at its upper end and pivotally connected with the lever D, as shown at lo. The lower end of the valve-rod E is threaded, as shown at I., and a gland or leather disk m is confined on said rod between two metallic disks n by means of nuts p,whereby the valve may be adjusted upon the rod and adapted for openings of diderent sizes or depths.

if indicates a spring which is designed to normally hold the lever raised, and consequently the valve carried thereby. This spring is composed of a piece of wire having suflicient resiliency, bent downwardly, as shown at q, and thence bent obliquely in opposite directions, as shown at r, and after being coiled into eyes s has its free ends t secured to the band B on opposite sides of the IOO lugs e e. Theloop q is designed to gently hug the lever D, so that when the thumb has been suddenly lifted off of the outer ende' thereof said lever will be prevented from any unnecessary movement vertically.

In operation when it is desired to use the device as a funnel it is simply necessary to take hold of the handle C and pay no attenlion to the other parts, as the spring will al- 3 ways hold the valve so as to keep the discharge open. When it is desirable to measure, the operator should simply press his thumb upon the part i of the lever and bring l carrying a valve at its lower end and pivoted it down upon the handle or close thereto until the desired quantity has been drawn into the funnel, when by removing his thumb from the lever the liquid may be discharged in the us'ual'manner.

I attach importance to the fact that the rod l E and lever D may be turned entirely out of g the funnel Without disconnecting any of the parts, as this is very desirable in cleaning the funnel and in obtaining access to the working parts,which may become injured or impaired. In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have illustrated in dotted lines the position which these parts assume when raised out of the funnel.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The funnel A, in combination with the lever D, hinged at one end to the upper edge of the funnel and having its opposite end free to swing, as shown,the spring also secured to the upper edge of the funnel and adapted to press upwardly on the lever, and the rod E,

at its upper end to the lever D, whereby both rod and lever may be turned entirely out of the funnel Without disconnecting any of the parts, substantially as specified.

THOMAS F. SCOLLEY. Vitnesses:

l-l. H. FORD, C. W. MONTANA. 

